A Very Special Evening Out
by Kristen3
Summary: Niles goes out on a date with someone very special to him, and it leads him to recall other memorable evenings in the past. One-shot.


Niles felt a rush of nervousness as he prepared to ring the doorbell. He was looking forward to this date, and he hoped the young lady would enjoy it as much as he already knew he would. He pressed the button and waited, taking a moment to look over his suit one more time.

Daphne answered the door almost immediately. She smiled at him. He certainly did look handsome, but that was no surprise. She smiled at him. He really was so sweet to agree to this, but then again, when had he ever _not_ been sweet, in all the time she'd known him? She turned away for a moment, calling over your shoulder. "Lily, your date is here!"

From the living room, four-year-old Lily came racing to the door. "Hi, Daddy!" She wore a beautiful, soft yellow dress. She giggled as Niles took her hand and kissed it.

"That's a lovely dress," Niles said.

Again, Lily giggled. "Mommy helped me pick it out."

"Well, she did a wonderful job," Niles said, smiling at Daphne. Even if she wasn't his date tonight, Niles hoped she would realize that _she_ was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him. But he had a feeling she knew.

"Well, you two had better get going," Daphne said. "I'm sure you'll both have a wonderful time."

"Oh, we will. I can guarantee that," Niles said, once again taking Lily's hand to walk her to the elevator.

They got onto the elevator, and Lily looked up at him. "Daddy, where are we going?"

"Out to dinner. Anywhere you like." He couldn't resist playfully touching the end of her nose.

"Can we go to McDonald's?!" she asked. "Please?" She folded her hands, begging. Her mommy rarely took her and her brother out for fast food.

"McDonald's it is, then," Niles replied as they got off the elevator. He opened the car door for her, already looking forward to this father-daughter evening.

They soon arrived at the nearest McDonald's, and Niles had to smile. This would be the first time in years he'd eaten at a restaurant that didn't require reservations. He and Lily went inside, Lily skipping as they made their way to the counter. She told the cashier she wanted a Happy Meal with chicken nuggets. Niles ordered himself a salad, remembering his open-heart surgery. He still ate his gourmet meals, but he managed to fit in health food as well.

It didn't take long for their food to be ready, and Niles carried their tray to a nearby booth. He felt a little out-of-place, noticing that he and his daughter were a bit overdressed. But he decided it didn't matter. Tonight was all about his daughter.

Niles looked into his daughter's eyes, which were so like Daphne's. It was easy to remember how he'd fallen in love with Daphne at first sight.

"Daddy?" Lily asked after a few bites of McNugget. "Did you ever go out on a date with Mommy?"

Niles had to laugh. After all, dating is typically a prerequisite for marriage. "Yes, as a matter of fact I did. I never brought her here, though."

"Oh," Lily replied. "How come?"

"Well, I don't usually eat fast food," Niles said. "But your mother and I have been lots of places. I've taken her dancing. One time, we even danced on the roof of your uncle Frasier's old building."

Lily giggled."You danced on the roof? Daddy, that's silly."

Niles couldn't help smiling. His daughter's laugh was one of the must beautiful sounds he'd ever heard. "Well, it's a long story. We'll tell you when you're older. Your mother and I have had dinner together many times. I can still remember the very first time it happened."

"When was that?"

"Oh, it was a long time ago," Niles said, thinking back. "It was before your mother knew how I felt about her. I tried to ask her out, but I lost my nerve at the last moment."

"How come?" Lily asked.

"Because I loved her very much, and I was afraid she'd say no. I knew I'd be crushed if she did. So, I ended up telling her I was in love with a woman named 'Da-Phyllis' instead. Your mother encouraged me to ask this woman on a date. I pretended to make a phone call, inviting this woman to dinner. I thought that would be the end of it, until, to my great surprise, I found your mother at my door."

In Niles' mind, he could recall that night in vivid detail. Chopping vegetables in the kitchen, which led to an impromptu duet. It was a memory he knew he'd cherish as long as he lived. But he returned to the present, seeing that Lily was still confused by the story. "Your mother wanted to help me prepare for this date I didn't have. The next thing I knew, I was helping her prepare a salad. I knew I should tell her the truth, be we were both having such a wonderful time. Once the dinner was on the table, and your mother thought I'd been stood up, I wound up asking her to stay and share the meal with me."

"Did you fall in _looove_?" Lily asked, thinking about the many Disney movies she'd seen, and how the prince and princess always ended up living happily ever after.

"No," Niles replied, laughing. "I kept my secret for a few more years. It wasn't easy, being friends with her when I wanted so much more. But now I'm grateful things worked out the way they did. For the first time in my life, I found someone I could be myself with. When we finally did become a couple, it was even more wonderful than I'd imagined."

"You mean you're happy with David and me?" Lily asked, after taking a moment to consider her father's words.

"I couldn't be happier," Niles replied. "There was a time when I never even thought I could have one child, much less two. Now, your mother and I have found a happy ending that's even better than any fairytale."

Lily was unconvinced. Fairytales were the best things ever. But she loved having her dad all to herself, so she decided not to say that. "Daddy, can we do this again sometime?" she asked instead.

Niles smiled, once again reaching over to touch Lily's nose. "Of course we can. Anytime you want." He'd always thought there couldn't be anything better than spending a romantic evening with Daphne. But now it seemed that spending time with his daughter was even more special. He hoped that, someday, these times would lead Lily to search for a love as powerful as her parents'.

 **The End**


End file.
